Inside The Huskies

UW Fresh Start (No. 11): McMillan Should Flourish From Fresno Connection

The wide receiver was one of the first to show Husky loyalty.
Dan Raley|
UW Fresh Start (No. 11): McMillan Should Flourish From Fresno Connection
UW Fresh Start (No. 11): McMillan Should Flourish From Fresno Connection

Jalen McMillan had a choice of breaking off the route or going deep.

Once the season ended, he easily could have bailed on the University of Washington football program after its second coaching change in three seasons and started over new somewhere else.

With likely a new quarterback throwing to him next season whatever he did, McMillan would have surprised no one had he hit the transfer portal because of all the rampant change.

However, the sophomore wide receiver decided to stay put in Seattle. He assumed a leadership role for the Huskies, one of the first players to publicly declare his intentions to stay in early January. It was his team and he wasn't walking away.

In Kalen DeBoer's favor, McMillan already was acquainted with him. He'd been recruited by the coach when they both were in Fresno, California — the receiver as a national recruit, DeBoer as the new Fresno State leader — and knew what he was getting with him.

The highly regarded pass-catcher has become a starting point for the new coaching staff to put the Huskies back together. He represents an important piece for DeBoer's wide-open offense that will be installed.

Jalen McMillan catches a 20-yard TD pass with 21 seconds left to beat the Cardinal.

Jalen McMillan and Rome Odunze share a moment.

Jalen McMillan makes an acrobatic catch against Cal. 

In warmups, Jalen McMillan gets loose. 

Oregon brings down Jalen McMillan. 

Dylan Morris embraces Jalen McMillan. 

The Huskies descend on Jalen McMillan. 

Jalen McMillan gets loose against Arizona. 

Less than two months to spring practice, we're offering our insight on the UW personnel in a series of stories on every scholarship player from No. 0 to 99. We'll review each Husky's starting experience, if applicable, and determine what comes next.

As is the case with any coaching change, it's a new football beginning for everyone, including the Huskies' No. 11. Yet DeBoer knows this guy's game well and has to be enthused he finally gets a chance to coach him.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound McMillan returns as the UW's leading receiver in terms of yardage with 470, 55 more than the equally talented Rome Odunze. He was second best in terms of number of receptions with 39, two fewer than Odunze. McMillan caught 3 touchdown passes, one less than his running mate.

With DeBoer's expected offensive prowess, It's not out of the question that these two might double their receiving stats this coming season.

Jimmy Lake's misfiring pro-style offense last season did McMillan and Odunze no favors at all. 

McMillan must be enthused that he stands to benefit as much as anyone by what's coming.

UW Starter or Not: McMillan started 9 of 12 games this past season, his misses coming only because of a hand injury. He won't leave the lineup again if he can stay healthy. Should all go well, he stands to have two seasons of prolific numbers and moves on to a promising NFL career. McMillan might be DeBoer's top honors candidate at this point.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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